Game including balancing platform

ABSTRACT

A game which includes a playing platform that is fixed to one end of a stiff spring, the other end of the spring is fixed to a playing piece receiving base. During the play of the game the contestants are directed by a chance mechanism, as by cards drawn from a pack, to deposit or remove playing pieces from the balanced platform. The platform has a plurality of playing piece receiving pockets which are interconnected at a point above the point of connection of the platform to the spring. The playing pieces are free to move from one pocket to another. The play of the game continues until the platform becomes unbalanced and the playing pieces are dumped from the platform onto the base.

United States Patent 1191 Reinertsen Oct. 9, 1973 [22] Filed:

[ 1 GAME INCLUDING BALANCING PLATFORM [73] Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation, Hollis, N.Y.

June 29, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 158,007

[52] US. Cl. 273/1 R, 273/135 R 3,559,989 2/1971 Breslow 273/1 R 3,484,106 12/1969 Foley et a1. 273/] R 162,141 4/1875 Bayles 273/1 R 3,188,089 6/1965 Odell et a1. 273/1 R X 3,067,7l7 12/1962 Imparato 27 3/1 R X Primary Examiner--Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerPaul E. Shapiro Att0mey-Richard M. Rabkin [57] ABSTRACT A game which includes a playing platform that is fixed to one end of a stiff spring, the other end of the spring is fixed to a playing piece. receiving base. During the play of the game the contestants are directed by a chance mechanism, as by cards drawn from a pack, to deposit or remove playing pieces from the balanced platform. The platfonn has a plurality of playing piece receiving pockets which are interconnected at a point above the point of connection of the platform to the spring. The playing pieces are free to move from one pocket to another. The play of the game continues until the platform becomes unbalanced and the playing pieces are dumped from the platform onto the base.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENTEUOIII m: 3,754,134

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N 9 LI- 8 (D N E! g} INVENTOR TORMOD K. REINERTSEN BY g M j ATTORNEY 1 GAME INCLUDING BALANCING PLATFORM DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Reference is made to the following patents which are merely cited as representative of the State of the Art as presently known to Applicant: Bayles, U.S. Pat. No. 162,141, patented Apr. 20, I875; Taft, Jr., US. Pat. No. 3,114,548, patented Sept. 17, 1963; Glass, US. Pat. No. 3,402,929, patented Sept. 24, I968.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a game which features a platform that is balanced on one end of a vertically oriented collapsible spring support, the other end of the support is fixed to a playing piece receiving base. During the play of the game the competitors are directed by a chance mechanism, as by cards drawn from a platform is surrounded by a raised edge member 28 that is formed to provide a plurality of playing piece 29 receiving pockets or detents 30. The upper surfaces 32 of the petals are interconnected by playing-piece 29 sized passageways 34 between the edge 28 and a central raised portion 36 that simulates the center portion of a flower.

The base 12 is provided with an outer edge 38 that retains the playing pieces 29 in a trough 40 formed between the edge 38 and the mound 14 during the play of the game. Additionally, the base 12 is provided with I playing piece storage pockets 42 formed as an integral pack, to deposit or remove playing pieces from the bal anced platform. The play of the game continues until the platform becomes unbalanced and the playing pieces are dumped from the platform onto the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various features, advantages and points of novelty of Applicants invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1 showing the playing platform in a balanced condition;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the playing platform unbalanced just prior to collapse;.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing the playing platform immediately after collapse but prior to restoration;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the support member FIGS. 2-4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the support member; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 2 on a greatly enlarged scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the game apparatus 10 includes a base 12 adapted to be supported on a flat surface. The base is provided with a central prominence or mound 14 in which is located a cylindrical socket 16 that is open at the upper surface of the base for removably receiving a rigid member 18 whose purpose is explained below. A playing platform 20, illustrated in the form of a multi-petaled flower, is supported substantially horizontally above the base 12, at the start of the game, by a collapsible spring member 22 that is inserted into a socket 24 formed in its under surface. Spring 22 is retained in the socket 24 by snug engagement with the walls that define the socket. The other end of the spring 22 surrounds and engages the rigid member 18 that is removably secured to the base 14.

The playing platform 20 is, advantageously, symmetrical about the socket 24 which is the connection point of the collapsible member 22.'The upper surface of the platform includes a plurality of arms or petals 26, each of which is substantially flat. The upper surface of the part thereof.

Rigid spring positioning member 18 has a larger cruciform shaped portion 44 that engages the inner surfaces of socket 16. Spring 22 surrounds and engages a smaller cruciform portion 46 of member 18. An end of the spring 22 is received against a shoulder 48 formed where the portions 44, 46 meet. The active length of the spring 22, i.e., that portion that is able to flex, is measured between the free end 50 of member 18 within spring 22 and edge 52 of the socket .24 on the underside of the platform 20. As will be seen from the description below, most of the bending of the spring member 22 occurs directly adjacent the free end 50 of member 18.

Referring to the drawings, it will be noted that the distance from the connection point of spring 22 to the playing platform, at socket 24, to the furthest edge of the playing platform at the end of one of the petals 26 is less than the distance from that edge of the playing platform to the surface of the base member 12 therebeneath and that the active length of the spring 22 is less than the first mentioned distance. This enables the playing platform, upon becoming unbalanced, to tip from the position of FIG. 2 through the position of FIG. 3 to the ultimate position of FIG. 4 wherein the playing pieces are dumped therefrom and then return to'the position of FIG. 2 when unloaded. If the spring 22 were active for the full length of the distance between the base 12 and the platform 20 it would be too willowy and sensitive. If made strong enough i.e;, stiff enough to support the platform, then it would not be sensitive to unbalance as needed for the play of the game.

Referring to FIG. 6, importantly, the spring member 22 is formed as a preloaded closely coiled spring. In order to cause deflection of the spring from its normally columnar or straight configuration, a fairly substantial force must be applied thereto. In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, this force is provided by virtue of the lever action effect of the unbalanced grouping of playing pieces 29 at the extremities of the playing platform 20. Because thespring is preloaded the portions above the end 52 of the member 18 remain substantially straight. Separation of the spring turns occurs only adjacent the end 52 of the support which delimits the active portion of the spring. In the actual embodiment of the invention herein contemplated, the playing pieces 29 are marbles and roll from In one form of the game the chance device that directs the play of the game includes a deck of playing cards (not shown) each having instructions with regard to the play of the game, such as place two marbles" or remove one marble. Each player takes his turn in sequence and follows the directions of the chance device. In the illustrative embodiment it is contemplated that the directions on the cards would be such that more marbles are placed on the platform than are removed sothat the platform eventually and unexpectedly becomes unbalanced and dumps the accumulated marbles into the trough 40. The player who caused the dumping to occur removes the marbles from the trough and places them in one of the pockets 42 which is assigned to him. The play of the game then recommences with the ultimate objective of one of the players playing his last marble without causing the dumping action to occur. This player is the winner of the game.

Obviously, various modifications may be made in the play of the game as in the utilization of a spinner as the chance device for providing the directions for depositing or removing marbles from the playing field. Also, other changes and modifications may be made in the structure described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A balance game including a playing platform havformed on the upper surface thereof, multiple playing pieces for placement on said playing platform according to the play of the game, player operable chance means for directing the deposit and removal of said playing pieces on said platform, a base, a collapsible member supportingly interposed between said platform and said base, said collapsible member being responsive to unbalance of said playing platform to collapse and suddenly dump the playing pieces from said playing platform when said platform is sufficiently unbalanced and said pockets being interconnected at a point above but adjacent to the point of connection of said platform to said collapsible member, said playing pieces being free to move from one said pocket to another in response to unbalance of said playing platform.

2. A balance game according to claim 1 wherein said platform has a central hub and said playing piece receiving pockets extend radially outwardly from said hub.

3. A balance game according to claim 2 wherein said playing platform is shaped to resemble a flower and said playing piece-receiving pockets are formed to resemble the petals thereof.

4. A balance game according to claim 2 wherein said pockets are provided with scalloped edges for receiving individual ones of said playing pieces therein. 

1. A balance game including a playing platform having a plurality of playing piece receiving pockets formed on the upper surface thereof, multiple playing pieces for placement on said playing platform according to the play of the game, player operable chance means for directing the deposit and removal of said playing pieces on said platform, a base, a collapsible member supportingly interposed between said platform and said base, said collapsible member being responsive to unbalance of said playing platform to collapse and suddenly dump the playing pieces from said playing platform when said platform is sufficiently unbalanced and said pockets being interconnected at a point above but adjacent to the point of connection of said platform to said collapsible member, said playing pieces being free to move from one said pocket to another in response to unbalance of said playing platform.
 2. A balance game according to claim 1 wherein said platform has a central hub and said playing piece receiving pockets extend radially outwardly from said hub.
 3. A balance game according to claim 2 wherein said playing platform is shaped to resemble a flower and said playing piece-receiving pockets are formed to resemble the petals thereof.
 4. A balance game according to claim 2 wherein said pockets are provided with scalloped edges for receiving individual ones of said playing pieces therein. 